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Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Adelaide Hospital Adelaide South Australia Australia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM:
To investigate the quality of and reasons for referrals of patients with likely functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) and explore patients' experience of clinical management.

RESULTS:
A total of 69% of patients reported not yet receiving an initial diagnosis, 52% reported persistent/distressing symptoms or reduced quality of life, 24% feared missed or worsening pathology, and 35% were seeking repeat specialist consultation. Most patients were dissatisfied (40%) or only partially satisfied (36%) with current management. Dissatisfaction was significantly related to the lack of provision of a diagnosis and effective treatment options (P

CONCLUSION:
Current management of FGID in usual care is suboptimal, as evidenced by the tertiary referral load, patient dissatisfaction, and the lack of provision of diagnoses and effective treatment options. Some clinicians lack confidence in effectively identifying and managing these conditions. Resources and supports to equip and assist clinicians to identify and manage FGID successfully may enhance patient care.